EU and China to boost their cooperation in development

The EU and China will seek synergies and concrete areas of cooperation to enhance bilateral development cooperation. This was underlined during the official mission to China of Neven Mimica, EU Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development. The commissioner reconfirmed the EU's interest to work with China on sustainable development and connectivity. As part of his programme in Beijing, he met with the Chairman of the newly-established China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) Wang Xiaotao.

Commissioner Mimica welcomed the establishment of the agency as an important opportunity for the EU and China to strengthen their cooperation as global development partners. Both sides highlighted their interest in cooperating on concrete initiatives to promote sustainable development and agreed to enhance bilateral exchanges on policies and best practices.

We have a shared responsibility to deliver on the ambitious Sustainable Development Goals. EU's recent 'Connecting Europe and Asia' strategy has set out our vision for increased cooperation with our Asian partners in key areas of connectivity and sustainable development, Commissioner Mimica pointed out. Specifying that there is great potential to promote the implementation of the 2030 Agenda when working in partnerships, he stated also that he looks forward to enhancing the cooperation with Chinese counterparts on concrete initiatives and to intensifying the exchanges on development policies.

Commissioner Mimica delivered a speech at the Central Asia Investment Forum, co-organised by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the People's bank of China. He took part as well in the China-EU Development Conference. In a Gender Equality panel which included the United Nations, the Chinese government and NGO representatives, Commissioner Mimica highlighted the EU's interest to work more in and with China on gender equality.

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